Caroline Blythe

Dr. Schmalbeck

Honors Energy and Sustainability

28 March 2017

Energy Analysis of a Home in Energy3D

Part 1

Figure 1 Figure 2

Singapore and Moscow, Russia have significantly different abilities to capture solar

energy. They also differentiate greatly in the amount of heat they gained monthly. Each of these

factors, solar potential and heat gain, is determined by their locations on Earth.

Because it is located in the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere, Moscow

experiences distinct summer seasons and winter seasons. These are visible in the data displayed

in Figure 2 -- the solar energy received is highest in the summer months, peaking in May, which

is logical considering that these are the months where Moscow is most directly facing the sun. It
would follow that during the spring and summer months, Moscow experiences net increases in

temperature and heat. This is also expressed in the graph, as represented by the gray data points.

Singapore is located just north of the equator. Thus, its data in Figure 1 differ greatly

from that of Moscow. Since it is located so close to the equator, Singapore does not experience

distinct seasons the way Moscow does -- rather, it enjoys summer-like weather year round. In

fact, due to its geographic position and topography, Singapore has net cooler weather during

what are traditionally thought of as summer months and warmer weather in what are traditionally

considered winter months. This means that the heat gains are net negative in May, June, and July

and net positive in the majority of the remaining months. Correspondingly, it receives more solar

energy during winter months and less solar energy in summer months, dropping off in March, as

depicted by the yellow data points in Figure 1.

Part 2

Figure 3 (Northeast) Figure 4 (Northwest)

Figure 5 (South)
 Figure 6 (Southwest) Figure 7 (Southeast)

When the small window in the Energy3D simulation is located in Pierre, South Dakota, it

receives a higher maximum solar energy input (in KwH) when it is facing northeast, northwest,

southeast, and southwest than when it is facing south, which can be determined by comparing the

maximum point on the yellow graphs of Figures 3-7. However, only when the window is facing

southwest (7,402.3 KwH) or southeast (7,482.76 KwH) does it receive a higher total amount of

solar energy in KwH than when it is facing south (5,813.49 KwH). The total amount of solar

energy input is far smaller for northwest (4,007.09 KwH) and northeast (3,903.48 KwH) facing

windows than it is for a south facing window. The maximum amount of solar energy input is

achieved by creating a southeast facing window, which is a total of 7,482.76 KwH, according to

Figure 7.